The subject matter herein relates generally to header assemblies.
Radio frequency (RF) coaxial connector assemblies have been used for numerous automotive applications, such as global positioning systems (GPS), car radios, mobile phones, air bag systems, and multimedia devices. Some coaxial connector assemblies are cable assemblies that are terminated to ends of coaxial cables. Coaxial cables typically consist of an outer conductor, an inner conductor, a dielectric, and a jacket or outer insulation. The outer conductor and the inner conductor of the cable electrically interface with corresponding inner and outer contacts of the connector, which may be a male or a female connector. Other coaxial connector assemblies are terminated to a circuit board rather than a cable. To interface with coaxial cable assemblies, such board-mounted assemblies include a coaxial interface defined by a center contact and an outer contact surrounding the center contact. Both the center and outer contacts terminate to the circuit board.
In order to standardize various types of connectors and thereby avoid confusion, certain industry standards have been established. One of these standards is referred to as FAKRA. FAKRA is the Automotive Standards Committee in the German Institute for Standardization, representing international standardization interests in the automotive field. The FAKRA standard provides a system, based on keying and color coding, for proper connector attachment. The keying and color identifying features of a FAKRA connector are typically on a housing. Male keying features can only be connected to like female keyways in FAKRA connector assemblies. Secure positioning and locking of connector housings is facilitated by way of a FAKRA defined catch on the male housing and a cooperating latch on the female housing.
Typical product families of FAKRA connectors include die-cast parts. For example, a header connector may include a die-cast shield component that includes an integral cylindrical outer contact which surrounds a center conductor to provide shielding and a grounding path. The die-cast shield component also may include a housing structure that mounts to a circuit board in order to provide electrical grounding and/or structural support for the header connector. Such known header connectors are not without disadvantages, however, as die-casting the shield component and/or other parts can be expensive and time-inefficient. An alternative to die-casting is stamping and forming one or more shield components out of a conductive panel, which may be more cost efficient than die-casting. However, stamped and formed shield components are generally not as strong structurally as die-cast parts, so stamping and forming the shield components of known FAKRA connector systems may result the in the components deforming (for example, bending) and/or breaking in response to mating and un-mating forces applied on the components. A need remains for a header assembly with shield components that are more cost efficient than die-cast parts and provide greater structural strength and resiliency than known stamped and formed parts.